Wick oil burner



June 25, 1929. M, FITCH 1,718,814

' WICK OIL BURNER Filed Feb. 16, 1927 2 Sheets-Sheet l l I TH- I .Zwenifi:

I 1 10 ka-720.5 M Hitcid June 25, 1929. c, F|TcH 1,718,814

' a WICK OIL BURNER Filed Feb. 16, 1927 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 .JEZJUGHZFTF 011N605 M 73w.

aaw magaz Patented June 25, 1929.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

CHARLES M. FITCH, F KANKAKEE, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR 'lO SEARS, BOEBUCK AND 00., OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, A CORPORATION OF NEW YORK.

WIOK OIL. BURNER.

Application filed February 16, 1927.

The invention relates to liquid fuel burners, more particularly of the tubular wick feed type commonly en'iployed in oil stoves, and to the means for intern'iixing air with the distilled gas for supporting combustion.

It is the principal object of the invention to produce in an oil burner of the (.ln'iracter referred to, an improved intermixture of air with the gas distilled from the fuel oil, by controlling the relative volume and direction of flow so as to accomplish complete combustion of the fuel with a maximum of heat generated therefrom.

Other objects and advantages will. be apparent in the following detailed d scription of the preferred. embodintient of the invention illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which:

Figure 1 is an elevation partially in sec tion of a portion of an oil burner illustrating the parts controlling the supply of air to the burner flame.

Fig. 2 is a plan view of the parts shown in Fig. 1, with the chimney removed.

Fig. 3 is a bottom view with the chimney and. draft sleeve removed.

Fig. 41- is an enlarged sectional elevation of a fractional portion of the parts immediately associated with the flame supporting end of the wick, and in which arrows are diagrammatically used to indicate the movement of the air currents in relation to the wick as controlled by the burner structnre.

With reference to the drawings, the burnor structure comprises a pair of spaced concentric tlibes 1 and 2 between which is su.pported a. wick 3 of suitable fabric, the lower end of the latter being submerged in a supply of oil maintained in the chan'iber formed by the lower end closure of the space be tween the tubes 1 and 2, the oilbeing supplied through a comumnicating pipe connection 41-. The wick 3 may be adjustably positioned. longitudinally of the tubes by means of a cylindrical shell 5 movably positioned between the tubes 1 and 2, and suitably secured to the wick. The shell 5 is provided with diagonally arranged series of perforations 6 which are adapted for engagement by a toothed pinion 7 fixed upon a. rotatable shaft 8 carrying a turning knob 9. The pinion and shaft are suitably supported on the outer tube 2 preferably within a housing 10. Rotation of the pinion .7 effects a spiral Serial No. 168,488.

movement. of the shell 5 to raise or lower the wick. The ends of the inner wick supporting tube are open to permit the passage therethrough of air to the burner flame.

A deflector plate 11 is positioned adjacent the upper end of the wick 3 and its supporting tubes. The plate 11 preferably has a series of small air passages 12 opening theretl'irough, and has a. downwardly inclined marginal portion 13 of which the periphery is spaced. longitudinally from the end of the wick.

The deflector plate 11 is supported in position by means of a plurality of wings 1 1- suital'ily secured. to the plate and extending inwardly of the inner wick supporting tube 1. An annular plate 15 preferably is fixed upon the inner tube 1 and spaced from the upper end thereof to sup portthe lower ends of the wings 14.. The annular plate 15 is provided with spaced notches 16 through which. pass hook portions 17 of the wings, in the lowering of the latter. By turning the wings the hooks 17 become engaged be neath the plate 15 to secure the wings and de flector plate in position.

The annular plate 15 is provided intermediately of the notches 16 .ivith upwardly extending guiding lobes 18 which facilitate the positioning and locking of the deflector plate and its supporting wings by guiding the hook portions 17 into the notches 16 when the wing structure is introduced into the end of the wick supporting tube 1. hen the wings 14; are in normal. position of supported abutment upon the upper side of the plate 15, the hooks 17 are spaced substantially below the plate 15. Upon turning up the wick to an extreme height, with the spiral. movement 1nreviously described,

the wick engages the deflector plate and lifts the latter with the wings 141:. The rotative movement of the wick swings the hooks 17 out of register with notches 16 before the hooks reach the plate 1.5, and cause the hooks to ei'igage the latter, thereby limiting the upward movement of the deflector plate and of the wick and. preventing the elevation of the wick. to an extent producing a dangerous flame. This locking action. occurs automatically whether or not care has been taken to turn the wings and books into locked position when. the deflector plate and wing structure is inserted within the tube 1.

The wings 1 1 also carry a cylindrical band a chimney for the burner flame.

19 positioned adjacent the inner wick tube 1 and extending outwardly therefrom with an inwardly inclined terminal portion 20. The band 19 is positioned closely adjacent to the inner tube 1 for the maximum radiation of heat, transmitted from the flame through the deflector plate and its supporting wings, against the wick supporting inner tube, thereby aiding the distillation of gas from the liquid oil with which the wick is saturated.

Encompassing the outer wick tube 2 is a draft sleeve 21 positioned in concentric spaced relation to the wick tube 2. The lower portion of the sleeve 21 may be reinforced by an annular member 22 which preferably is formed with inwardly extending radial lugs 23 bearing upon an annular collar 24 fixed upon the outer wick tube 2 and which serves tosupport the draft sleeve in position. The upper portion of the sleeve 21 is provided with an inner annular flange forming a wide shoulder 25. Preferably this shoulder is formed in the sleeve structure with its under surface substantially horizontal, and extends half way or more across the space between the sleeve and the outer wick tube. The inner periphery of the shoulder 25 is positioned in spaced relation laterally and above the upper end of the outer wick tube 2, and also in spaced relation to the periphery of the inclined marginal portion 13 of the deflector plate. There is preferably provided above the shoulder '25 an outwardly flared terminal portion 26 of the draft sleeve extending somewhat above the periphery of the inclined flange 13.

Supported on a suitable shoulder 27 2 formed in the lower portion of the sleeve 21 is a bottom plate 28 -,preferably of arched cross section and outwardly carrying an upwardly extending cylinder 29 functioning as The bottom plate 28 may have perforations therein to admit air to the base of the chimney. The chimney and its bottom plate are preferably removable by upwardwithdrawal from the shoulder 27, and the draft sleeve is also preferably removable by upward withdrawal from the outer wick tube abutment collar 24.

In operation, the deflector plate 11 with its inclined marginal portion 13, and the draft sleeve 21 with its inwardly turned 7 shoulder 25 are so arranged in relation to thefiame supporting end of the wick 3, that the air currents passing upwardly within the inner wick tube 1 and between the outer wick tube 2 and the draft sleeve 21 meet acrossthe end of the wick 3 in substantially diametrically opposed direction of movement in an approximately horizontal plane. The air currents are thus thoroughly intermixed in the zone immediately above the end of the oil saturated wick from which the is being distilled by the bait of the burner flame. This directly opposed cross movement of the two air currents through the gas filled zone immediately above the wick, as indicated by the arrows in Fig. 4, accomplishes complete and uniform intermixture of the gas and air in the proper proportion to support complete combustion of the gas. The combustible mixture then flows through the aperture between the deflector plate and the draft sleeve, where it is consumed in a blue flame as illustrated at 30.

The temperature of the air entering the mixing zone is raised as to the outer current by heat radiation from the hot draft sleeve 21. The inner air current arises against the hot deflector plate 11 and therefrom into the mixing zone. The movement of the inner air current across the under face of the deflector plate with consequent raising of temperature is further effected by means of the inwardly inclined terminal portion 20 of the band 13.

The advantages of complete and uniform intermixture of the air with the distilled gas is accomplished by the substantially diametric opposition of the air currents ontering the mixing zone at the base of the flame, and is effected by the sharp inward turn of the outer current by the draft sleeve shoulder 25 which is so positioned in relu tion ,to the inclined marginal portion 13 of the deflector plate that the meeting air currents flow directly tov'ard each other into the gas mixing zone. In the ordinary structures, wherein the outer current arises substantially vertically into the flame, [here is an outer blanket of air in which the gas is too dilute to form the hot blue flame necesfor maximum heat, and results in the loss of efliciciicy in the flame. 1n applicants construction the directly opposed air currents flow through each other. causing uniform intermixture of the gas with all of the air admitted to the flame, and it has been found that this arrangement produces a flame of maximum intensity and healing efliciency.

I claim as my invention:

1. An oil burner having, in combimdion. with a tubular wick and a pair of concentric tubes between which said wick is guided for up and down movement, an annular member mounted concentrically within the inner wick tube and having its upper end terminating in a plane above the wick. a plate'supported to extend above the upper end of said member in spaced relation thereto, said member and plate defining an annula-r slot through which air rising through the annular member is discharged outwardly in a substantially horizontal direction, an annular member encircling the outer wick till llll 

